Park Taipei Hotel is conveniently located in the
heart of downtown Taipei. The hotel is just in front
of the Exit 6 of the MRT Daan Station and is only
6 minutes to Taipei Songshan Airport.
A carefree place in the center of the bustling Taipei
City, you can relax and indulge your senses in your
room after returning from a busy and hectic business
schedule or a long day of shopping.
Park Taipei Hotel, Your Home in Taipei!
Tel: (02) 5579-3888
Add: 317, Sec. 1, Fuxing S. Rd., Taipei City (台北市復興南路一段317號)
Website: www.parktaipei.com
How to get there: Take the MRT Wenhu Line or Xinyi Line to Daan station.
The hotel is just in front of Exit 6 of the Daan MRT train station.

Welcome to Taiwan!
Dear Traveler,
As it should be when the summer heat is receding and the place to be is outside under the
soothing sunlight and breezy moonlight, we keep you outside much of the time in this issue of
Travel in Taiwan .
Our Feature section introduces the tourist-friendly Penghu archipelago, bobbing placidly
in the Taiwan Strait, which pretty much every international tour-guide publisher, including
Michelin, National Geographic, and Insight Guides, enthusiastically advises visiting. This is a
place of, condensing Michelin’s words, “rare natural beauty, dramatic seascapes, sandy beaches,
gentle grass covered hills, sea birds, nesting sea turtles, abandoned forts, atmospheric temples,
and traditional villages.”
As always, in our Feature -accompanying Stay/Eat/Buy article we give you our
recommendations on great places to rest your head at night, what you should eat and where to eat
it, and your best-buy gift/souvenir choices.
In our Rail/Bus/Bike section we ride Taichung’s popular Dongfeng and Houfeng bikeways,
which offer cyclists the chance to experience rural Taichung and Hakka culture firsthand while
pedaling along decommissioned railway lines.
In My Favorite Spots , Indigenous Cuisine , and Farm Fun we jump the soaring central
mountains over to Hawaii-like Taitung County on the east coast. You’ll be introduced to places
to go in and around Taitung City – a superb base for explorations of the East Rift Valley and
the coast – to a first-rate indigenous restaurant in the hills overlooking the city from afar, and
to the Bunun Leisure Farm, where the operators seek to revitalize the region’s Bunun tribe by
establishing self-sufficiency through agricultural/industrial development and the rekindling of
Bunun self-confidence and artistic traditions.
In Popular Pastimes we showcase Taiwan as “An Island of Festivals,” introducing its most
exciting music celebrations. Though not yet matching Europe’s open-air music-fest culture or the
24H all-genre live-performance culture of the world’s greatest music cities, Taiwan as a stage has
enjoyed a booming surge of music fests in recent years.
In Easy Hiking our theme is “pointy peaks with fantastic views.” We give you hiking options
around the small mountain town of Jiufen, one of northeast Taiwan’s iconic tourist draws, which
primarily attracts travelers intent on experiencing its heritage-laden narrow alleys, snack foods,
and handicrafts.
Enjoy our beloved homeland, which we invite you to come explore, again and again.

Read the online version of Travel in Taiwan or
download the app for iOS (iPhone/iPad) and
Android (smartphone/tablet) from
tit.com.tw/appdownload.htm .
See more amazing
images of Taiwan
in our Travel in
Taiwan app! Simple
scan this QR
code to reach the
download page
(iOS/Android).

30
51
1 Publisher’s Note
4 Taiwan Tourism Events

48

WHERE TO GO TONIGHT

6 News & Culture
35 Taiwan Slang

40 Romantic Evenings in Kaohsiung

— Suggestions for Dining and Rendevouz-ing Close to the Love River

FEATURE

MY FAVORITE SPOTS

10 Land Ho! Penghu – Beckoning You

42 A Bit of Hawaii in the West Pacific

— Small-Island Idyll – The Lowdown on What to See and What to Do

— Places to Go in and around Taitung City

22 Savoring the Penghu Islands
— Where to Rest Your Head, What You Must Eat, and Your Best

During the Taiwan winter, there are only rare occasions when you will
actually feel cold. But it can indeed get chilly quite often, and those are
the times when taking a hot-spring bath is especially pleasant. There
are a total of 17 hot-spring resort areas around Taiwan, with hot-spring
establishments ranging from simple free-to-use public outdoor pools to
grand upscale hot-spring hotels. During the annual Taiwan Hot Spring &
Fine-Cuisine Carnival, hot-spring soakers enjoy a wide range of special
dining and accommodation offers presented by restaurants and hotels
listed on the event’s website.
Location: Hot-spring areas around Taiwan
Website: taiwanhotspring.net

10/30 Taiwan Cycling
Festival
11/22 臺灣自行車節

The popularity of bicycling continues to grow in Taiwan, and city and county
governments are hard at work accommodating the ever-expanding needs and
desires of bikers by building dedicated bikeways and other facilities around
the island. Staged each year, the Taiwan Cycling Festival gives bike riders
a chance to come together and take part in numerous cycling events. One
of these, which draws hundreds of cyclists each time, is the Sun Moon Lake
Come! Bikeday, during which participants ride along the lakeshore, many
completing the 30km round-lake loop, renowned as one of Taiwan’s most
scenic routes. Two other exciting events are the Taiwan KOM Challenge,
during which professional riders race from the coast to the high mountains, and
Formosa 900, an around-the-island tour made by different teams in nine days.
Location: Qixingtan, Hualien County ( 花蓮縣七星潭 ); Taipei City ( 台北市 ), Shimen District, New Taipei City ( 新北市石門區 ); Wufeng District, Taichung City ( 台
中市霧峰區 ); Yuchi Township, Nantou County ( 南投縣魚池鄉 ); Fanlu Township,
Chiayi County ( 嘉義縣番路鄉 ); Maolin District, Kaohsiung City ( 高雄市茂林區 );
Donggang Township, Pingtung County ( 屏東縣東港鎮 ); Chenggong Township,
Taitung County ( 臺東縣成功鎮 )
Website: theme.taiwanbike.tw/event/2015/en/index.html

Travel in Taiwan visited the Maolin National Scenic Area at the start
of this year, and we were indeed impressed by the thousands of
butterflies we saw congregating in the woods close to the village of
Maolin, one of the best locations to view the different types of crow
butterflies that stay in the area during the winter. Apart from butterfly
watching, the national scenic area is also a place of spectacular
mountain views, and visitors will as well come in close contact with
the indigenous people living in this mountainous part of Kaohsiung.

Running a full marathon is a big physical challenge for most road
runners, and many will focus solely on their bodies and the road ahead
on the long route to the finish line. Those running the Taroko Gorge
Marathon, however, might consider pacing themselves and looking up
and around a bit, since this run takes you straight through one of the
world’s most magnificent natural landscapes. This is definitely one of
the more memorable runs you will ever do, and since the marathon is
extremely popular you had best register as early as possible to ensure
yourself one of the coveted slots.

Taiwan as a great surfing destination is a well-kept secret no longer;
too many top-flight pro surfers who have enjoyed a taste of the
mighty waves off the east coast have made sure of that in recent
years. After being certified as an international surfing-competition
site by the Asian Surfing Championships association, Taitung
County’s Pacific coastline is sure to be attracting even more surfers
from abroad, especially during the annual Taiwan Open of Surfing
held at Jinzun Beach, about 50km north of Taitung City.

臺北國際藝術博覽會
While this fair was conceived
as a sales platform for
international galleries –
mostly from East Asia – where
they could present their latest
in contemporary art, it has
also become a popular draw
with members of the general
public, who do not plan to buy
anything but come simply to
enjoy the art as they would on
a visit to an art museum. And
there is certainly a lot to see.
A total of 145 galleries from
15 countries will be exhibiting
modern artworks from all
genres, from avant-garde
installation works to abstract
paintings.

Bands galore will again soon be marching through the streets of Chiayi,
a city in southern Taiwan. Each year bands from abroad are invited
to participate, to give the festival some international flair amidst the
predominant local-school bands. Apart from the annual street parade,
there will also be a wide range of music-stage performances at venues
around the city.

Taiwan Tourist Shuttle
Golden Fulong Route
The Golden Fulong Route is one of the most scenic and popular
routes of the Taiwan Tourist Shuttle network (www.taiwantrip.com.tw ).
It connects Ruifang Railway Station on the main Taipei-Yilan railway
line with the old mining towns of Jiufen and Jinguashi and, further
on along the northeast coast, scenic Bitou Cape, Longdong Bay,
and Fulong Beach. Earlier this year, two attractive stops were added
to the route to allow tourists to conveniently visit Jinguashi’s Golden
Waterfall and the strange rock formations at Nanya on the coast. To
make the Golden Fulong Route even more attractive, the operator
offers a number of one-day-pass travel packages that include such
bonuses as Jiufen snack vouchers, train tickets, and tickets to other
attractions in the area, such as museums and parks. For more info,
visit www.gold-fulong.com.tw.

New Tainan-Osaka
Services in October

China Airlines has announced that it will offer two round-trip
flights each week between Osaka in central Japan and Tainan
in southern Taiwan starting this October. The new services are
expected to boost business opportunities for the tourism industry
in southern Taiwan. The carrier’s current weekly schedule
includes 21 round-trip flights between Taipei and Osaka and 12
between Kaohsiung and Osaka. More info about the airline’s
services at: www.china-airlines.com.tw.

6

Travel in Taiwan

New Nantou Skybridge
In recent years, “skybridges” or “skywalks” have been built in numerous
scenic areas around Taiwan. The latest of these constructions, allowing
tourists to take in breathtaking mountain views, is the Longfeng Waterfall
Skywalk in Zhongliao Township, Nantou County. Somewhat resembling
the Grand Canyon Skywalk – but on a much smaller scale – this
construction in central Taiwan has a 30-meter-long U-shaped transparent
bottom, stretching out above a narrow 50-meter-deep valley down which
the waters of tiny Longfeng Waterfall cascade. Getting there by public
transport requires taking Changhua Bus Co. bus No. 6920 from Nantou
City to Neicheng Village, and from there a shuttle bus to the entrance of
the skywalk park. More info at longfong.joliu.gov.tw (Chinese).

septem b er ~ O C T O B E R

Kaohsiung’s Moon World,
Now in Color
Tianliao Moon World, located in the northern part of Kaohsiung City, is a place
of barren landscape with strangely-shaped dusty-gray hills. While during the day
the hill color gives the landscape a somewhat dreary look, come in the evening
and you’ll be presented with a completely different visual feast. During the
“Magical Moon World” event, lasting until November 28, the moon-like terrain is
illuminated in colorful lights, creating a truly magical ambience. Another focal point
of the event is a giant theme-lantern statue in the shape of a warrior and a wolf.
Special activities with a monster and ghost theme are taking place on full-moon
days, including a monster parade for which everyone is encouraged to dress up
Halloween-style (Aug. 29), a cosplay competition (Sept. 26), and a rock concert
(Nov. 28). More information about the event at: www.moon-world.com.tw (Chinese).

EVA Air Has World’s Cleanest
Aircraft Cabins

Which Destination Has the
World's Best Food?

“And the 2015 award for the world's Best Aircraft Cabin Cleanliness goes to...
EVA Air!” The Taiwan-based airline has been very successful in providing
ultra-clean cabins for its passengers during the last year, a huge factor in
guaranteeing a pleasant flight experience. Interestingly, the top ten airlines in
this award category at the 2015 World Airline Awards were all from Asia. EVA
Air also finished 9 th in the most important category, “Top Ten Airlines of 2015.”
More information about the awards at www.worldairlineawards.com.

In a recent poll on the CNN website edition.cnn.com , Taiwan
was voted the world’s top destination for good food. In CNN’s
words, “The culinary philosophy in Taiwan is simple. Eat often
and eat well. Small eats – but lots of them – are the big thing
here.” There is certainly no shortage of food selections on this
island, from simple night-market snack foods to sophisticated
5-star hotel-restaurant banquets.

Hotel Royal Group_print ADs_EN_2015Apr.pdf 1 2015/4/7 下午 5:15

C U LT U R E S C E N E

CULTURE
Concerts, Exhibitions, and Happenings

6/30
2/21
2016

National
Museum of
Taiwan History

RENOVATION AND
REFORM: TAIWANESE

SOCIETY IN THE 19TH
CENTURY
舊邦維新：19 世紀
臺灣社會特展

This special exhibition introduces you to the Taiwan of the 19th century,
a time when the island was ruled by the Qing Dynasty court and the
people faced radical changes brought on by the rapid modernization/
industrialization of the West. Through historical images and documents,
the exhibition also reveals how groups of people with different ethnic
backgrounds and different economic interests, including indigenous
tribes, immigrants from mainland China, and adventurers, traders, and
missionaries from the West, interacted, sometimes violently, to secure
their interests on the island. More information at www.nmth.gov.tw.

7/18
1/10
2016

National
Palace
Museum

THE PRINTMAKER’S
INGENUITY AND
CRAFT: MING AND

9/5
10/24

Taipei
Cinema
Park

2015 XI-MEN BACK
STREET FESTIVAL –
HISTORIC MOVIE
POSTER AND FILM
EXHIBITION
2015 西門町後街文化祭─
懷舊電影海報展及影展
Ximending is a popular youth-fashion and entertainment district
in one of the older parts of Taipei. Since the 1950s the area has
attracted moviegoers with its cluster of movie theaters, most of which
are located on Wuchang Street. As part of the annual Xi-Men Back
Street Festival, this retrospective exhibition will have a display on
many of the large (hand-painted) posters used during the period to
advertise the flicks being shown in the theaters, and will also feature
screenings of a number of vintage movies that were once Ximending
blockbusters. More information at www.cinemapark.org.tw.

11/6
&

11/8

National Theater

PYOTR ILYICH TCHAIKOVSKY OPERA:
EUGENE ONEGIN 2015 柴可夫斯基《尤金 • 奧涅金》

QING WOODCUT PRINTS
IN THE NATIONAL
PALACE MUSEUM

匠心筆蘊─
院藏明清版畫特展

This exhibition explains how woodcut printmaking and book printing
developed hand in hand during the late Ming (1368~1644) and
early Qing (1644~1912) dynasties in China. With the advances in
woodblock printing, book illustrations gradually obtained artistic
qualities on top of their practical function of augmenting textual
interpretation. On display in this exhibition are rare and antiquarian
books from the Ming and Qing periods showcasing prints and
illustrations. More information at www.npm.gov.tw .

8

Travel in Taiwan

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s (1840~1893) lyric opera Eugene Onegin tells the
story of a man who lives to regret his rejection of a young woman's love, and
his careless incitement of a fatal duel with his best friend. The libretto very
closely follows certain passages in Alexander Pushkin's (1799~1837) novel of
the same name, retaining much of his poetry. More information at npac-ntch.
org/english .

c u lture s c ene

10/16
10/25

Cloud Gate Theater

TROY,
TROY…
TAIWAN
2015
史詩環境劇場
《祭特洛伊》

Inspired by the Iliad , Homer’s classic epic poem
about the Trojan War, this play combines Greek
mythology with traditional Taiwanese opera to
create a colorful and stirring spectacle. More
information at www.goldenbough.com.tw/troy2015.

11/25

National Concert Hall

LAURENT
KORCIA
2015
VIOLIN
RECITAL

Until

11/1

Yingge Ceramics Museum

NATURAMICA
陶最自然

勞倫 . 柯夏
小提琴獨奏會

French musician Laurent Korcia (born in
1964) is one of the leading violinists of his
generation, and one of the rare contemporary
violinists to include solo violin recitals in his
concert repertoire. For this recital he will be
accompanied by well-known local pianist Eric
Chen, performing Johannes Brahms’ Violin
Sonata No. 1 as well as Maurice Ravel’s Sonata
for Violin and Piano . More information at npacntch.org.

This exhibition at the modern-architecture Yingge
Ceramics Museum explores the relationship
between nature and ceramics. There are 128 pieces
on display, all of which were fired naturally using
wood, smoke, salt, bones, etc., the creators placing
emphasis on natural processes and protecting
the environment. The display halls have different
themes: a Suzhou Garden, a Hokkaido Flower Field,
a Japanese-style garden. More information at www.
ceramics.ntpc.gov.tw.

FEATURE
PENGHU

Land Ho!
Penghu -

Beckoning You

Small-Island Idyll â&#x20AC;&#x201C;
The Lowdown on What to See
and What to Do
Text: Rick Charette

he Penghu Islands – an archipelago of very small islands
f loating in the middle of the Taiwan Strait between
mainland Taiwan and mainland China. Virtually all
international travel-guide publishers are enthusiastic boosters,
including the Michelin Green Guide Taiwan , which bestows a
coveted two-star rating:

“… a place of rare natural beauty, with dramatic seascapes, sandy
beaches and gentle grass covered hills … famous for its sea birds,
nesting sea turtles and other wildlife … It is historic as well, (with)
abandoned forts, atmospheric temples, and traditional villages ….”
Though Han Chinese did not come in any real number to the island
of Taiwan until the 1600s, their first efforts to settle and tame
the Penghu Islands came about 600 years earlier. The Portuguese
christened them the Pescadores (Fishermen’s Isles) in the 1500s. The
Dutch set up colonial camp in 1622-1624, seeking to control East
Asia trade through the strait, before being encouraged by a miffed,
armada-backed Chinese imperial court to decamp to Taiwan. The
French invited themselves in during the 1884-1885 Sino-French War,
seeing Penghu as an “unsinkable battleship.” The Japanese ruled
Taiwan and the archipelago 1895-1945. And after 1945 the Republic
of China government fortified the islands, in case Mao Zedong
and friends invited themselves in. Evidence of all this awaits your
discovery on your Penghu adventure – while you also savor the sun,
sand, surf, seascapes, sea creatures, and seafood.
1

12

Travel in Taiwan

2
3

4

5

Day 1

First on the adventure agenda during a
recent 3-day sampler trip taken on your
behalf by a crack Travel in Taiwan team
was a boat tour in the waters off small
Magong City (pop. about 60,000). These
craft launch from the South Sea Visitor
Center, from which ferries to what are
called the South Sea islands below the
three main islands of Penghu, Baisha, and
Xiyu (which are connected by bridges)
also launch.
The tour boats cruise the two large,
interconnected bays directly south of
Magong. Ours was “glass-bottomed”
– outfitted with below-deck viewing
windows. At the tour’s half-way point
the pilot slows to a crawl to ensure clear
bay-bottom gazing – we enjoyed closeup inspections of coral for mations,
small squid, a school of I-don’t-knowwhat-the-heck-they-were, and other
marine treasures.
T h e r e i s r u n n i n g c o m m e nt a r y
throughout (live, in Chinese), giving you
background on things seen both above
and below the surface: the marine life,

local fishing industry, and Magong and
Penghu in general, notably the manmade structures such as the distinctive
harborside architecture left behind by
the Japanese.
Another excursion highlight was a
stop at a large floating “restaurant”
for an all-we-could-eat, grill-your-own
oyster feast (price included in ticket;
inexpensive sausages, drinks, other items
also available). Also on the platform are
pens filled with members of the marineanimal groups swimming and crawling
freely directly beneath, some very large
specimens indeed.
After about 3 hours on the water and our
return to the South Sea Visitor Center,
we hopped on our two-wheeled gaspropelled steeds and zoomed over to
nearby downtown Magong, spending the
rest of our afternoon on a perambulating
heritage walking tour through the city’s
1. Great Stone Lion on Qimei Island
2. Fishing experience for kids
3. Starting a boat trip at Magong Harbor
4. Grilling oysters
5. At Magong Cultural Center

Travel in Taiwan

13

FEATURE
PENGHU

oldest section. Give yourself a leisurely
4 hours, leaving you time for plenty of
stop-and-start sampling of the great
range of traditional foods and snack
treats on offer.
The story of Magong begins at the
grand old Tianhou Temple, Taiwan’s
oldest temple dedicated to the goddess
Maz u, patron saint and protector
of seafa re r s. Nea rby on n a r row,
picturesque Zhongyang Street is the
Four-Eyed Well. The street, Magong’s
original commercial artery, lined with
sellers of specialty handicrafts and food
products, has been tastefully restored to
its former glory. The large well has been
supplying local residents for 400-plus
years; the four narrow openings were
long ago introduced to prevent curious
children from falling in and to maintain
order in drawing the much-in-demand
cool liquid.
Straddling a narrow road by the
nearby waterside is the Shuncheng
Gate, with a section of the old city wall

2
3

1

14

Travel in Taiwan

beyond, wonder-inspiring remnants
from the last defensive walled-city
fortifications to be built by China.
The Magong Cultural Center is an
intriguingly eclectic, photogenic place
that I was utterly riveted by. This is the
site of Taiwan’s oldest military-housing
community, with numerous residences
dating back to the Japanese period.
Abandoned in recent times, many living
quarters have been renovated, and the
homes of the two most famous residents,
pop singers that grew up here, are now
dedicated boutique museums.
The culinary diversity of Taiwan’s
m ilit a r y de pe nde nt s’ v illages is
renowned, with residents, hailing from
all around China, introducing Taiwan
ingredients as well as well as other
regional-cuisine elements to their own.
Get a taste of this here in a special area
of replica military housing, opened about
two years ago, filled with tiny regionrepresentative eateries (see our Stay/Eat/
Buy article).

4

Day 2
We woke up bright and early this day to
catch an early-morning ferry to Qimei, the
southernmost South Sea island. Hopping
on scooters right at the pier (rental included
in ferry-ticket price), we headed out on
the very quiet coastal road. Qimei’s iconic
symbol is the Twin Hearts Stone Weir,
made of stones piled laboriously, which fills
at high tide and leaves fish stranded at low.
The Tomb of the Seven Beauties – “Qimei”
means “Seven Beauties” – is built around
a well down which seven chaste Ming
Dynasty maidens are said to have thrown
themselves on the approach of Japanese
pirates. Among the other must-visit Qimei
attractions we checked off our to-do list
were the picturesque Little Taiwan and
Waiting for Husband Rock, two coastal
rock formations viewed from above.

Rather than traveling straight back to
Magong, we stopped off at Wang’an
for a few hours’ exploration of this
island. The highlights of our meander
along the sleepy round-island coastal
road? Tiantai Hill and the village
of Zhongshe. Your walk up Tiantai
Hill, the island’s highest point, leads
to wonderful panoramic views over
Wa ng’a n a nd it s nu merous nea rby
islands. Wonderful Zhongshe is an old
nar row-lane f ishing village, almost
all homes stone/coral-built. Be sure to
stop in for the homemade ice-cream
at the shop – shade is at a premium in
the village – under the huge Penghurenowned “Wang’an Township Tree,”
an Indian almond tree planted by the
shop owner’s mother in 1928.

5

Travel in Taiwan

15

FEATURE
PENGHU

1

2

Squid-Fishing Excursions
On our second night we enjoyed one of
the most popular Penghu Islands tourist
experiences, a nighttime squid-fishing outing,
again launching from before the South Sea
Visitor Center at Magong Port, again plying
the same bay waters as on our first-day tour.
The Penghu-area waters teem with catch,
with squid and cuttlefish amongst the most
highly prized. Deciding on a likely lucky spot,
our captain cut engines, intensely bright
squid lights were switched on to lure our prey
toward the surface, each passenger grabbed
a rod, crew members demonstrated the castand-jerk fishing technique used, and off we
were trying our luck. My result? No luck.
But I had tons of fun. On each trip, before
heading back in (total time out: about 2 hours)
everyone feasts under the stars on a huge
crew-cooked pot of Penghu vermicelli, a local
specialty, with fresh-caught squid and other
goodies, zested up if desired with delicious,
fiery hot-chili fish sauce, another specialty.

16

Travel in Taiwan

FEATURE
PENGHU

Day 3
Penghu is home to many long, fine-sand
beaches. Four of the most popular are on
the island of Penghu’s south side – Lintou,
Aimen, Shanshui, and Shili. On the
morn of this day we visited each in turn. I
especially like Lintou and Shanshui. Lintou
and Aimen are connected by a long beachedge boardwalk; behind Lintou Beach is
Lintou Park, a shady, aesthetically laidout tree park in which you can sit yourself
down to alfresco coffee at a bright and
breezy café. At Shanshui’s entrance is a
bustling cluster of beach-bum-style eateries
and cafés, and backing its west side is an
attractive protected lagoon area traversed
in part by a long boardwalk. This leads
to a high promontory that drops into the
surf at the beach’s west end. Topped with a
large lookout, formerly part of an off-limits
military zone, the promontory is dotted
with abandoned camouf laged bunkers,
pillboxes, and other facilities, one outfitted
with heritage photos and information

3

boards (Chinese) on this spot’s military and
ecological past.
Near Shili, pretty much at Penghu’s
southwest tip, is the compelling, still-beingdeveloped Qingwan Cactus Park. There
are two foci. Cacti, yes – the archipelago’s
dry, flattish, windswept environment is
perfect for cactus growth. And military
history – the park site is a former Japanese
military base rich in ruins, notably hidden
big-gun emplacements, bunker barracks,
and command posts.
We f inished our trip with a foray to
Xiyu, traversing the long, slim island’s
entire length. Being a history buff, the
highlight for me was Erkan Village, a
dense collection of heritage houses in the
old Minnan (southern) style of mainland
China’s Fujian Province. Today the village
is quite tourist-oriented and you’ll find such
examples of old-time rural living as Qingera scales and weights, oversized ceramic

3

1. Waiting for Husband Rock
2. View from Tiantai Hill

3. Qingwan Cactus Park
4. Aimen Beach

4

Travel in Taiwan

17

18

Travel in Taiwan

1

2

3

4

FEATURE
PENGHU

storage jars, and winnowing equipment.
Other key Xiyu sites visited this day were
the Whale Cave, not a cave at all but a seaholed rock promontory that resembles a
giant sperm whale, the extensive ruins of
the late Qing Dynasty-built Xiyu Western
Fort, erected to protect against pirates and
invaders, and Yuwengdao Lighthouse, at
Xiyu’s south end, the first lighthouse built
in the Taiwan area, in 1778.
And with that, our Penghu adventure
was over. Sun setting, we headed out on
a breezy one-hour drive back to Magong
Airport and our night-time f light back
to Taipei, t i red , somewhat t a n ned ,
somewheres burned, and content.
Rick Charette's (rick.charette@url.com.tw)
extensive writings on Taiwan and other destinations
have been carried by Michelin, National
Geographic, Insight Guides, and other publishers.
1. Erkan Village
2. Aimen Beach
3. Shanshui Beach
4. Erkan Village
5. Whale Cave

Getting There & Around
There are regular flights and ferry runs between Penghu and
Taiwan proper, regular ferry services between Penghu’s islands, and car/scooter rental facilities at various locations. Your
best source for details on these subjects and other matters,
such as boat tours, accommodation, and dining/snacking, is the
Penghu National Scenic Area website (www.penghu-nsa.gov.
tw ) and, secondarily, the Penghu County Government website
(www.penghu.gov.tw ).
Tickets for Magong boat tours and for other South Sea ferry
destinations can be purchased at operator counters in the South
Sea Visitor Center. Your hotel/B&B will also help with reservations/purchases. If you need English assistance, use the Taiwan
Tourism Bureau’s visitor centers at Magong Airport or its Penghu
National Scenic Area headquarters, on the road between the
airport and downtown Magong.

Scooter Heaven
For your Penghu Islands rambles, the way to go on your land jaunts is by scooter. The
cost is generally just NT$350-$400 per day. There are many rental facilities, especially
outside major transport facilities. Save for downtown Magong City, the roads are almost
empty, and major roads wide. Locals may well tell you it’s best to rent a car, because
the general flatness and minimal tree cover can mean strong sun and gusty conditions,
but take proper precautions and you’ll be fine. I, a pasty white-skinned fellow, spent not
a moment not covered in sunblock, and came home (mostly) nicely tanned. Note that
the eco-conscious county government is now getting operators to systematically introduce e-scooters.

Savoring the
Penghu Islands
Our Ideas on Where to Rest Your Head, What You
Must Eat and Where You Should Eat It, and Your
Best-Buy Gift & Souvenir Choices
Text: Rick Charette
Photos: Chen Cheng-Kuo

22

Travel in Taiwan

1

STAY/EAT/BUY
PENGHU

Where Shall I Stay?
If put to a vote, my choice for the nicest
homestay/B&B in Taiwan would almost
surely be Migrator Intertidal Homestay.
Located by the shore on the inland sea,
with a splendid view of Magong City far
across the bay, from a distance it looks like
a bright sailboat making its way across
the waters, large white mainsail billowing.
The owner has paid meticulous attention
to every detail in making her dream place
reality, large and small.

Perhaps most indicative is how she spent
years looking for the perfect plot of land,
visiting places all around the main islands,
in all seasons, at all times of the day and
night. The result for you is a peaceful
hideaway almost totally isolated – there’s
a small dock area for oyster fishermen
nearby, their oyster-bed frames clearly in
view far “out to sea” – with full views of
both sunrises and sunsets yet no sunlight
spilling directly into rooms, shallow-

water swimming from your own sandy
beach, and f ull protection f rom the
northern winds in winter. (Rooms start at
NT$3,800; breakfast included.)
Migrator Intertidal is at the top of
the Peng hu B&B/ homest ay qualit y/
price range. In the mid-range, consider
Yurong B&B. On Magong City’s south
side overlooking a large bay (no direct
access), it’s in a community where the
plots on which many homes sit are in

What’s Best to Eat, and Where’s It Found?
A key Penghu-experience rite of passage is
cooling down with a serving of the famed
local “cactus ice” – and, I dare say, doing
so on several occasions at several different
locations. The islands are home to six types
of cactus, the one supplying an edible fruit
introduced by the Dutch around 1645 when
they controlled the island of Taiwan. The
fruit has a nice sour/lightly sweet balance.
A standard bowl starts with a heaping bed
of shaved ice; a scoop of cactus ice cream is
added atop, then surrounded by cactus-fruit
slices smothered in cactus-flavored syrup
also flavored with cane sugar.
You’ll find many shaved-ice stands
along Magong City’s Zhongzheng Road,
always busy with tourists. However, on
my three Penghu visits to date the most
flavorful cactus ice I’ve come across is
sold at the portable stand at the base of the
ramp leading to Shanshui Beach (see main
Feature article). Overall, the best shaved-ice
eatery is Magong’s Yuguan Fresh Herbal
Jelly – your proof being the inevitable
crowd milling about before it. The star
attraction is “Emerald Herbal Jelly Ice,” a
heaping work of colorful art featuring all

24

Travel in Taiwan

sorts of toppings, including herbal jelly,
red beans, and condensed milk, and even
sweetened corn and soft Penghu vermicelli.
It’s delicious – and a meal in itself. The
cactus ice is also very good.
On this trip, online tourist polling led
us to the cubbyhole “Old-Time Tianjin
Xiaolongbao” eatery in Juguang New
Village (see our main Feature article),
where the experience fully backed up the
enthusiastic recommendations. I had never
tried – or even heard of – Tianjin cuisine
before, and this foodie went away a very
happy (middle-aged) lad. The owner grew
up in China’s Jiangsu Province, and learned
her cooking at the hand of her Tianjinraised mother. The main signature offering
is minced goat-meat steamed dumplings.
You’ll see herds of goats around the islands.
This is an extremely savory dish, just
short of gamey. The “secret” ingredient is
cumin. Two other especially tasty menu
selections were the hot and sour soup and
the corn juice – yes, corn juice. The soup
was fiery hot, with more black pepper than
standard and tiny chunks of chili pepper

Steamed dumplings & corn juice

lurking like landmines. This made the cold
juice even more welcome. You wouldn’t
think corn would make a good cold-drink
ingredient, but it decidedly does – blended
to almost smoothie consistency, and lightly
sweetened.
Another spot tried because of strong
online support was “Rixiang Fine Food
Shop.” The restaurant’s décor is plain –
it’s the distinctive homemade dishes that
get everyone excited. The house specialty
is a unique, entertaining creation called
“Exploding Volcano.” “What!?” you’re
saying. First off, it’s most yummy. Cactus-

STAY/EAT/BUY
PENGHU

flavored rice is heaped into volcano shape,
and said volcano’s mouth is filled with egg
yolk. As you start mixing yolk into rice
the volcano “explodes.” The results are
deliciously creamy. Other notable dishes here
are the cactus-flavored Penghu vermicelli
and the seaweed & lizardfish-balls soup. (The
“lizardfish” name comes from the slender
shape; fish and reptile are not related.)
"Exploding volcano"

What Are My MustBuy Local Gifts/
Souvenirs?
By far the most popular Penghu gift/
souvenir buys are its iconic processed,
packaged local-specialty snack treats.
The no. 1 purchase is brown-sugar cakes,
closely followed by salty biscuits, wintermelon cakes, and peanut brittle – softer and
not as sweet as the Western variety (there’s
also a delicious modern version made with
cream). The brown-sugar cakes, made with
muscovado sugar (a type of minimally
processed cane sugar), were introduced
to Penghu by Japanese immigrants from
Okinawa about a century ago. Locals first
used them in ancestor worship, Taiwan
mainlanders gradually became aware of
them, and interest grew, local bakeries
upping production to sate the demand.
You’ll find many mingchan or “famous
products” shops along downtown Magong’s
Sanmin and Zhongzheng roads, both very
popular with tourists. Chuen Ren Foods on
Sanmin has a reputation as being the best
maker of brown-sugar cakes.

The
Bunun
Leisure Farm
A Vision of Cultural Renewal and
Sustainability Made a Reality

1

The Bunun Leisure Farm, operated
by the Bunun Cultural and
Educational Foundation, has been
striving to revitalize the culture of
the Bunun tribe by establishing selfsufficiency through agricultural and
industrial development, as well as
rekindling artistic traditions and
boosting the self-confidence of the
Bunun people. A visit to the Bunun
Leisure Farm not only provides
a relaxing getaway, but also gives
outsiders a chance to observe and
participate first-hand in the revival
of Bunun culture.
Text: Nick Kembel

26

Travel in Taiwan

Photos: Maggie Song

A

fter getting picked up from
the railway station in the little
town of Luye, not far from
the Luye Plateau, site of the popular
annual Taiwan International Balloon
Festival (balloontaiwan.taitung.gov.tw ),
my traveling companions and I arrive at
the farm after dark and retire directly
to our rooms. Dispersed throughout the
20-hectare eco-park, the guesthouse
facilities, sitting amidst tranquil, natural
surroundings, are free of any touristy
vibe. Before being coaxed to sleep by the
reverberating symphonies of insect noises
outside, I peruse the in-room literature to
learn something of the farmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s history.
In 1984, a Bunun pastor (most Bunun
have converted to Christianity in modern
times) named Bai Guang-sheng returned
to his hometown, Taoyuan Village in
Yanping, a comparatively remote township
in Taitung County located at the base of
the Central Mountain Range. Taoyuan is

the largest of five Bunun villages in the
area. One of the others, Hongye, acquired
island fame when in 1968 its Little League
team defeated a powerful regional all-star
team from Japan 7-0.
Bai quickly came to realize the extent
of the problems faced by his community,
from alcoholism and unemployment to
lack of self-confidence and cultural pride.
The Bunun were once the fiercest and
most nomadic of Taiwanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tribes. However,
they have been forcibly relocated twice
in their history, most recently as part of
the Aborigineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Collective Movement
Policy in the Japanese era (1895-1945),
and when forced to move to their present
Yanping location from their homeland of
Laipunuk, 1,500-2,000 meters above sea
level in the central mountains, they lost
not only their traditional hunting grounds
but also a way of life. Though nearly a
century had gone by, Bai saw they were
still struggling to adapt.

FARM FUN
TAITUNG

2
1. Relaxing at Bunun Leisure Farm
2. Indigenous art on the farm

Seeking to reverse the Bunun people’s ill
fate, Bai saw education as key. He set up
a church, invited university students to
come teach the tribe’s young, and offered
camps during which traditional skills were
imparted to the community’s youth. A
Bunun choir was created, traveling around
the island to raise funds for building.
In 1995, Bai launched the Bunun
Cultural and Educational Foundation.
With funds provided by various sponsors
and a successful fundraising campaign, the
foundation set up facilities on land donated
by Bai’s father in an uncultivated valley
on the banks of the Luming River north of
Taoyuan Village, taking on the ambitious
task of converting it into productive
farmland and a self-sustaining, incomegenerating leisure park for tourists.
The project has been enor mously
successful. The leisure farm currently
employs over 90 full-time and 40 part-time
staff, 70% of which come from Taoyuan

Village. Their educational programs
have bred over 100 university graduates.
The farm is 100% indigenous-run, and
a portion of the profits are allocated to
support over 200 elderly and handicapped
individuals, along with victims of domestic
violence. Demand for the farm’s produce
and other manufactured products often
exceed their production
abilities; as of last year,
all of their crops are
certified organic.

3. Agricultural researcher
Kao Chien-ming

the Bunun, but from various other tribes
as well. After breakfast, we sip coffee on
a patio that provides a commanding view
of the entire valley. We spot plum and
olive trees, cherry blossoms, a swimming
pool fed by natural-spring water, rows
of birdhouses and, on the valley wall
opposite, an immense forest of bamboo.
3

After a night of deep,
sound sleep, the next
m o r n i n g I s t e p out
from my cabin to find
myself in the middle
of a scenic and artistic
wonderla nd. Placed
throughout the grounds
are woodcarvings and
statues not just from
Travel in Taiwan

27

FARM FUN
TAITUNG

2

1

Our guide, Chen Shu-zhen, greets us
warmly, and begins pointing out some of
the farm’s other important features. Below
the bamboo forest stands a charcoal factory,
in which the Bunun use bamboo instead
of wood to produce tubes of charcoal, a
product with multiple uses. One interesting
byproduct of the carbonation process is a
totally natural, charcoal-scented mosquito
spray. In a neighboring edifice, soaps and
essential oils from camphor, cypress, and
citronella are produced.
Next we visit a weaving workshop,
where locals are fast at work operating a
number of traditional looms, including the
Bunun, Amis (Taiwan’s largest tribal group),
and Southeast Asian varieties. Traditional
Bunun weaving used sturdy ramie fiber and
was largely patternless. In recent times, a
Bunun woman named Kaviaz came up with
a new style that has come to be the signature
pattern of the Bunun. Inspired by the snake
(a sacred symbol), the pattern consists of
yellow, green, and red interlocking diamond
motifs on a black background.
After the weaving workshop, we visit
a bakery, and then stop to chat with a
group of Bunun elders peeling cornhusks.
Chen explai ns t hat, “ T he fa r m ha s
brought pride to our community. Some
of our youth go off to cities, but many of
them succumb to feelings of isolation.
The farm gives them a reason to come

28

Travel in Taiwan

3

back. Nowadays, many of them return
after they graduate from school to share
their knowledge with the community.”
Chen next leads us through fields of
pumpkin, cabbage, onion, red quinoa, and
corn, among other crops. She plucks a few
cucumbers from a patch and thrusts it into
our hands, urging us to taste them. As we
munch away, we meet Kao Chien-ming, an
agricultural researcher from Kaohsiung who
is working with the tribe to improve their
organic farming methods. He embarks on an
impassioned tirade against modern farming
practices. “All the food kids are eating these
days is loaded with hormones. It’s affecting
their growth. Modern farming is driven by
greed. Everybody wants bigger veggies and
faster. That cucumber you just ate, that’s
what a cucumber should taste like. It isn’t
big and perfectly shaped, but at least it tastes
like a cucumber.” I ask Kao if it’s harder
to grow organic. “You just need to plant a
different species in each row instead of a
whole field of one thing. The pests don’t like
this for some reason. Besides that, it’s just a
matter of caring for your plants. Pesticides
are horrible for the earth. If we keep Mother
Nature healthy, then we will be healthy.”
Absorbed by his insights, we lose track
of time, and suddenly realize we are late
for a song and dance performance. Luckily,
we arrive just in time to observe the

pasibutbut , the eight-part harmonic singing
technique unique to the Bunun. Eight men
stand in a spiral with their arms interlocked
behind one another’s backs, and the vocal
harmonies come in one at a time. The
singing is solemn yet dignified. Following
the performance, with a touch of humor
the MC makes an appeal for patronage
in the adjacent souvenir shop, reminding
visitors of the farm’s commitment to organic
sustainability: “We are mountain people. We
suck at math and chemistry. So why would
we use chemicals?”
The shop features all the products
mentioned above, as well as more exotic
items such as olive juice and wine, plum
vinegar, and millet wine. In the Tribe
Restaurant, guests can sit down to a set
meal (NT$300) of fried taro balls, sweet
potato, veggies, barbecued pork, salted
chicken, millet wine, and rice steamed in a
giant leaf from the yuetao , a shrub that is a
kind of flowering ginger. The leaf imparts a
fragrant, floral flavor to the rice. All of the
farm’s agricultural products are available for
on-site purchase or delivery, and a number
of ready-made dishes can also be ordered
for takeaway.
The Bunun Leisure Farm is not another
theme park cashing in on indigenous
culture, like you may encounter elsewhere.
A great deal of positive work is being

FARM FUN
TAITUNG

done here, preserving the Bunun culture
for future generations, farming the land
responsibly, and restoring indigenous pride.
You can play a part in this story – your
every dollar counts!

Practicalities
Entry to the farm is NT$150 per person, NT$100 of
which can be used towards products or activities,
which include archery, DIY soap-making, leather
crafts, weaving, and singing classes. Dance
performances are staged daily at 10:30am and
2pm. If you want to spend the night, doubles go
for NT$2,400 (Sun-Fri) or NT$3,000 (Sat). It’s best
to make a reservation if you’d like a tour, and free
pickup can also be arranged from Luye Railway
Station. Arriving on your own, watch for the turnoff
at kilometer 344 on Provincial Highway 9.

Railways to
Bikeways
Exploring the Dongfeng and
Houfeng Bikeways in Taichung

When it comes to cycling, Taichung may not
yet be at the top of many tourists’ itineraries.
But the city that gave birth to Giant, the world’s
largest bicycle manufacturer, is considered a key
cycling hub by locals. The Dongfeng and Houfeng
bikeways offer cyclists the chance to experience
rural Taichung and Hakka culture firsthand while
pedaling along decommissioned railway lines.
Text: Nick Kembel Photos: Maggie Song

HOUFENG BIKEWAY
Houli Horse Farm

Dongshi Hakka
Culture Park

No. 9 Tunnel
Shigang Dam
Railway
Valley
Winery

SHIGANG
Station

Lover’s Bridge

DONGFENG BIKEWAY

Travel in Taiwan

Meizi
Station

Puzikou
Station

to fengyuan

30

Dajia river

Tuniu Hakka
Cultural Museum

Steel bridge on Houfeng Bikeway

Travel in Taiwan

31

RAIL/BUS/BIKE
TAICHUNG

O

n Christmas Day, 2010, Taichung City was upgraded to the
status of special municipality and merged with Taichung
County. This arrangement produced a mega-city encompassing
everything from coastal fishing ports and Mazu (Goddess of the
Sea) pilgrimage sites to isolated indigenous villages and Taiwan’s
second-tallest peak, Snow Mountain.
For Taichung, the administrative restructuring has brought a wide
range of economic and administrative advantages. One unexpected
benefit for travelers is that, for the time being, the Taichung City
government is offering free short-distance bus rides for passengers
using an EasyCard (www.easycard.com.tw ), a contactless smartcard
now widely used on the island. This includes the bus ride to the
destinations described below.
One of the effects of Taichung’s amalgamation has been an
integration of transportation systems, including hiking trails and
bikeways that cross district borders. The Dongfeng and Houfeng Biking on Houfeng Bikeway
bikeways collectively span four districts in northern Taichung.
Their creation in fact predates merger discussions, but they serve and sweet-treat stalls lining the route. The cyclist can hardly travel
100 meters without being tempted by a pizzeria, gelateria, shavednevertheless as ideal examples of local inter-district cooperation.
ice stall, or café.
The trail was officially opened in 2000 as the “Dongfeng Green
The Dongfeng Bikeway, just under 13 kilometers long, follows
what was once the Dongshi branch line of the western railway Corridor.” The local government planted trees and other vegetation;
trunk line through an area inhabited primarily by Hakka people. the trees now form a canopy over much of the path, providing
The Dongshi branch line, on which operations began in 1958, shade, and serve as a platform for cicadas, their shrill drone regaling
connected Fengyuan, the former capital city of Taichung County, cyclists in a continuous soundtrack. The path was lit up along its
with Dongshi Township in the foothills of the Central Mountain full length in 2003, making it the first nighttime-use bikeway in
Range, via a third township, Shigang. Besides being the primary Taiwan, and in 2005 the adjoining 4.5-kilometer Houfeng Bikeway
means of transportation for locals, the railway was used to deliver was opened, following another decommissioned railway line
agricultural products and logs from the mountains. When the connecting Fengyuan with the Houli area to the north.
Dongshi branch line was decommissioned in 1991, the county
government decided to convert it into a bicycle path – the first of Since entire sections of the Houfeng Bikeway close at 7pm, make
sure to do Houfeng first if you are cycling in the afternoon. The
its kind in Taiwan.
Over the years, great efforts have been made to improve scenery along the first few kilometers of the Houfeng Bikeway is
amenities along the path, and the condition of the path itself. uninspiring (moving away from its Dongfeng Bikeway connection
There are distance markers every 500 meters, the entire path is point), but various leisure activities are on offer, including bubble
paved with smooth asphalt, and there are dozens of food, drink, soccer, fishing, go-karts, and paintball. Next you’ll come upon the

Inside No. 9 Tunnel

32

Travel in Taiwan

Entrance at Houli Horse Farm

RAIL/BUS/BIKE
TAICHUNG

Railway Valley Winery (www.midtaiwan.com.tw ), where you can
sample plum and honey wines while resting in an imitation train car
in a lovely garden. Just after the winery, you’ll cross a 380-meter
steel railway bridge converted for bicycle use, offering stunning
views of the Dajia River valley.
The bridge leads to the highlight of the Houfeng Bikeway,
the 1,273-meter No. 9 Tunnel. What would have once been
a thunderous but largely unnoticed 30-second experience for
passengers aboard a speeding train is now slowed down and
appreciated in relative silence. The air is noticeably drier and
cooler inside the tunnel, providing a refreshing respite for
bikers, especially during the summer months. As you pass
through the tunnel, be sure to take note of the cascades of
minerals that have formed where water has seeped through the
tunnel walls over the decades.
After reaching the end of the tunnel, continue on through a
lovely stretch that brings you to the Houli Horse Farm, where you
can feed or ride steeds from around the world.

No. 9 Tunnel

From here, backtrack to access the Dongfeng Bikeway, which,
like the Houfeng Bikeway, is mostly flat with only slight increases
in gradient, and as such is an easy ride for cyclists of all abilities.
The Dongfeng Bikeway takes you past several restored railway
stations of the old Dongshi branch line, the first of which is
Puzikou. The next site of interest is the enormous Shigang Dam,
which sits directly over a fault line and was heavily damaged in the
devastating 921 Earthquake of 1999. Cross the dam to visit a small
memorial park and a damaged section of the dam left in situ as a
vivid reminder of the disaster (the section is now bypassed by an
embankment cofferdam).
More earthquake relics can be found at the next restored station,
Shigang, including a section of twisted railway tracks. Just after the
tracks, you can veer into Shigang Village to admire a wonderfully
preserved Japanese-era rice-husking barn. Next up along the trail
is Lover’s Bridge – don’t confuse it with the colorful metallic
structure adorned with cupids and Adam and Eve scenes that you

Old railway car beside Dongfeng Bikeway

Steel bridge on Houfeng Bikeway

Travel in Taiwan

33

RAIL/BUS/BIKE
TAICHUNG

Steel bridge on Dongfeng Bikeway

921 Earthquake memorial park

need to ride across to get there. While there may be more than a
few structures christened “Lover’s Bridge” in Taiwan, the claim
for this one is that it is the longest made of wood.
Watch out for the turnoff at the 6.8km point, onto a small road
on the left that leads to a mango tree that is at least 300 years old,
quite impressive considering that the normal lifespan of a mango
tree is a few decades.
Next comes Meizi (Plum) Railway Station where you can
make a right turn and follow Meizi Lane to visit the Tuniu Hakka
Cultural Museum, a magnificent reconstruction of a traditional
Hakka home, and still a place of worship for the descendants
of its original inhabitants. Back on the bikeway you will then
cross another bridge with a commanding view, you will enter
the loveliest section of the trail, riding first under a lush canopy
of trees and then through farms with guava and pear orchards,
Getting There and Around

34

Travel in Taiwan

Don’t come to Dongfeng and Houfeng looking for an isolated
cycling experience. Incredibly popular with locals, but yet
to really catch on with foreign tourists, the paths grant the
opportunity to mingle with Taiwanese as they enjoy leisurely
pursuits, soak up some Hakka culture, get a taste of rural life in
Taichung, and pedal along two of Taiwan’s intriguing historical
railway arteries.
The Hakka Traditional Sindingban Festival in Dongshi

Fengyuan is two hours south of Taipei on the TRA Western Line.
Disembarking from the station, turn left and cross the street for the
Fengyuan Bus Station, from where you can catch bus no. 90, 91,
206, 207, or 208 to Shigang Dam bus stop. The bus is free if you
swipe your EasyCard. A taxi will cost NT$350.
Alighting from the bus, you will see a bike-rental shop where you
can rent bikes from Merida, a reputable Taiwanese brand. Prices
start at NT$150 for the day, but we recommend the NT$250 ones.
Maps and free water bottles are provided. Cross the highway and
follow the sign for Shigang Dam, which is at about kilometer 4 on the
Dongfeng Bikeway. Turn left and cycle about 10 minutes to get to the
start of both the Dongfeng and Houfeng bikeways.

the latter of which Dongshi District is famous for. Thanks to a
grafting technique developed by a Dongshi local, the pears here
have a delicate floral taste and soft, juicy flesh.
The Dongshi Hakka Culture Park (www.dons-hakka.com )
demarcates the end of the Dongfeng Bikeway. The former Dongshi
Railway Station has been rebuilt in the style of a traditional Hakka
courtyard home. The facility houses Hakka cultural exhibits and
clothing displays, and musical performances are staged.

The Sindingban (Xindingban) or “New Man Rice Cake” Festival (www.sindingban.com.tw ) is hosted by the Dongshi Hakka
Culture Park. Dating back hundreds of years, the annual event
centers on the making and offering of turtle-shaped, bright-pink
glutinous-rice cakes called xindingban to the gods in the hope
of procuring male offspring. By tradition, the family who makes
the largest xindingban receives a cash prize from a public fund,
so people tend to go overboard, making wildly oversized cakes,
and tourists are encouraged to join in the fun. The event also
includes firecrackers, divination contests, and Hakka cultural
performances. It takes place around the time of the Lantern
Festival, usually in February.

aking selfies has become a bit of a modern social obsession, thanks to photo-taking smartphones
(and phone-stick sidekicks) and social media. Though a worldwide phenomenon, this self-indulgent
activity seems to be especially widespread in East Asia. When hearing about taking selfies in
Chinese, you might come across a popular term you won’t (yet) find in a dictionary: jiu mi ( 啾咪 ).
Jiu mi describes the cute poses young girls strike when taking pictures of themselves, often
including pouting and holding a hand close to the face with index and middle fingers spread apart.
This type of pose is also depicted in online conversations using the following combination of symbols:
(^. ＜ ). See the squinting eye on the left, the small round mouth, and the scissor-like fingers? Jiu
literally means “the chirps of birds/insects,” and mi “to mew”; together, the imagery is
of a person chirping/mewing with joy.
There are different (and doubtful) origin stories for the term jiu mi . One
is said to go back to the Tang Dynasty, and tells of a nobleman who invited
girls aboard his pleasure boat for a lake cruise. When the girls realized
that the man’s intentions were not as noble as they had originally believed,
they screamed for help (jiu ming ; 救命 ; lit. “save (our) lives”) to people on
shore. Too far away to hear them clearly, the onlookers thought that the girls
were just excited, striking cute poses and shouting jiu mi to express their joy.
There is, of course, no evidence to back up this tale (or the
others), which may well merely be the fantasy of a 13-year-old
web user. However, there is a case to be made that jiu mi and
jiu ming are in fact related. Many people feel that selfietaking has gotten way out of hand, and that jiu ming
(help!) is the reaction of many a bystander upon seeing
a girl or young woman taking yet another close-up of
herself, completely disregarding everything else going
on (in the real world) around her, exasperated at the
prevalence of such puerile narcissism.

he emblem of the Xiang Luo Lei Restaurant is a snail, and
for those reading the Chinese-character menu from left to
right, which Taiwanese don’t always do, the very first item
listed is Basil-Flavored Snails (NT$250 per portion). But edible
gastropods aren’t the main reason why a cartoon snail represents this
establishment.
Visitors who speak the language variously known as Minnanhua ,
Taiwanese, or Hokkien will quickly guess why the owner opted for
a cute snail motif. The founder’s surname is Luo Lei (full name Mr.
Luo Lei Pei-hua), and in Minnanhua snails are known as luolei . He
has taken his childhood nickname and turned it into a brand.
Two-syllable surnames are rare in Taiwan, and Mr. Luo Lei
owes his to his mixed parentage. Luo was the surname of his
mother, a member of the Puyuma tribe. Lei was the family name
of his father, who migrated to Taiwan from the Chinese mainland
after World War II. Mr. Luo Lei grew up amongst the Puyuma
people, married a Puyuma lady, and considers himself Puyuma –
hence his decision to put his mother’s surname first. As well, all of
his employees are Puyuma.
From the restaurant, which is a large, open-sided structure
made of wood and bamboo located in a foothill village, you can
see all the way to downtown area of coastal Taitung City, 11km
away. There’s an hour of live music – typically a female vocalist
accompanied by an acoustic guitarist – every weekday evening
starting at 7pm. On weekends, local schoolchildren perform
indigenous dances.
Huge photographs – some historical, some recent – of native
people decorate the walls, and there are a handful of unpainted
woodcarvings. The decor is understated and tasteful, which is as it
should be. As far as most customers are concerned, of course, what
comes out of the kitchen is much more important than the interior,
the performances, or the view.
Whereas the hearty fare on offer at most Taiwan indigenous
restaurants can be relied upon at least to satisfy gourmands, the

Restaurant owner Luo Lei Pei-hua

cuisine here is a notch higher. Some standout dishes surely qualify
as gourmet – and that’s a word this writer doesn’t bandy about.
More than 60 dishes are listed on the menu, and Mr. Luo
Lei’s wife, acting as our host, starts by recommending the snails.
They’re available year-round, she explains, but become scarcer
when the weather is hotter. At least four dishes on the menu are
distinctively Puyuma, she informs us. One is Meat-Filled Wild
Bitter Gourd (NT$350), the foraged gourds being far smaller than
farmed variants. Another is Teng Xin Pig’s Foot Soup (NT$400 to
NT$500 per portion; also available with chicken instead of pork).
It’s cooked using a wild vegetable foraged by indigenous people
in several places in east Taiwan, and Mrs. Luo Lei says she warns
anyone thinking of trying this dish that it’s exceptionally bitter.
If you’ve enjoyed indigenous cuisine in other parts of Taiwan,
you may be surprised that Xiang Luo Lei’s cooks make little use
of aromatic litsea, one of the ingredients which helps differentiate
indigenous cuisine from mainstream Taiwan cooking. Also known
as mountain pepper or magao – the Mandarin term is derived from
maqaw , the Atayal tribe’s word for it – aromatic litsea simply isn’t
as common in the wilds of Taitung as it is elsewhere in Taiwan, Mr.
Luo Lei explains.
The restaurant serves one indigenous favorite that is well-known
as a specialty often seen in the hot-spring town of Wulai, south of
Taipei City. Bamboo Tube Seasoned Rice (NT$50) is exactly what
the name suggests. For diners who find plain white rice uninspiring,
it makes an interesting change.
Like Bamboo Tube Seasoned Rice, no tribe can claim a
monopoly over what the Puyuma call A-Bai (NT$50). Made from
fermented millet and pork, this delicacy is somewhat similar to
sushi in terms of appearance and consistency. Because portions
come wrapped in banana leaves, and can be consumed in a few
bites, these tamale-like snacks also resemble flattened zongzi , the
sticky-rice pyramids Taiwanese feast on around the time of the
Dragon Boat Festival (June 20 this year). Being lighter and less

Travel in Taiwan

37

INDIGENOUS CUISINE
TA I T U N G

Basil-Flavored Salted Barbecued Fish

greasy, they won’t leave you feeling filled up before you get to
work on other dishes.
Mr. Luo Lei explains that, traditionally, food wasn’t wrapped
in leaves for the sake of presentation. Nor was it done to save
money, or for environmental reasons. He remembers a time when
refrigerators weren’t common in remote villages like his. When
families had more meat than could be eaten that day – after a
successful hunt, say – they’d wrap the excess in large leaves and
bury the parcels, placing a stone slab on top so the cache wouldn’t
be disturbed by animals.
“Three Cup” dishes are a mainstay of greater China’s cuisines,
the flavor and name coming from the roughly equal amounts of
soy sauce, rice wine, and sesame oil in which meat is simmered
until most of the liquid has evaporated. In addition to conventional
Three-Cup Chicken (NT$280), Xiang Luo Lei offers ThreeCup Rice-Field Frog (NT$300), Three-Cup Bamboo Partridge
(NT$250), Three-Cup Soft-Shelled Turtle (NT$450), and a few
other variations on the theme.

38

Travel in Taiwan

Bird’s Nest Fern

Indigenous cuisine has a reputation for being meat-heavy, perhaps
because stone-slab barbecues can be seen in so many buluo (“tribal
communities” in Mandarin). That said, however, vegetarians will
leave Xiang Luo Lei full and happy. Even hard-core carnivores should
seize the opportunity to try certain vegetables which may not be
available in their home countries. Bird’s Nest Fern (NT$200) is one.
Fiddlehead Fern Salad (NT$150) features another. Despite its name,
White Water Snowflake (NT$180) is a scrumptious green with stems
the length and thickness of spaghetti strands. As habits go, chewing
betel nut is almost as bad as smoking, but there’s nothing unhealthy
about consuming fibrous, crunchy Betel-Nut Flowers (NT$200).
When the food arrives on your table, you’ll probably want
to tuck right in. Do, however, take a few moments to appreciate
the effort that goes into presentation, as in this respect Xiang Luo
Lei is some way ahead of many comparable establishments. To
accompany the Basil-Flavored Salted Barbecued Fish (NT$350),
slices of cucumber are arranged in the shape of a four-leafed
clover. The Stone-Roasted Pork (NT$250) comes neatly sliced

Local boy practicing archery near the restaurant

and arrayed on a bed of raw onion. The pork is tastiest when dipped
first in garlic vinegar, then sprinkled with ground pepper.
Xiang Luo Lei’s menu is in Chinese only, but with the aid of
this article you should be able to order an enjoyable and memorable
meal. Here’s another suggestion: In Taiwan, no one minds if you
peer at what they’re eating, ask what it is, and then point to it to
indicate you’d like a serving of the same.
Because the menu was designed with extended families and largish
parties in mind, bring friends along so you can try more dishes.
Don’t worry there won’t be enough space – the restaurant can
accommodate close to 200 people. Liquid options at Xiang Luo Lei
include Taiwan Beer, Heineken, and local red wines and liquors,
plus the usual juices and teas.

Getting There
Getting to Xiang Luo Lei Restaurant requires a car (taxi) or motorcycle, but
navigation is straightforward. From downtown Taitung City, head away from
the ocean on Zhongxing Road. Stay on that thoroughfare as it becomes
Provincial Highway 9, then be on the lookout for a turnoff on the right just past
Fengtian Elementary School (you veer off to the right, rather than making a
Road, into
Lijia Village. The restaurant is just
full turn). Follow this road, Lijia
8師大國語中心英文招生_E_1-3W_2014_12.pdf
1 2015/5/7
下午5:14
beyond the village, on the left. There’s no English sign, so look for the snail
emblem. Parking is readily available nearby.

For more information, please visit www.mtc.ntnu.edu.tw Or email to mtc@mtc.ntnu.edu.tw

WHERE TO GO TONIGHT
K AO H S I U N G

Romantic
Evenings in
Kaohsiung

Kaohsiung

Suggestions for Dining and
Rendevouz-ing Close to the Love River

Nat. Sun Yat-sen
University

2

Visitors to the southern Taiwan city of Kaohsiung immediately feel its
passion, vigor, and warmth. On a warm midsummer night, visit the districts
of Yancheng and Gushan, home to the city’s beloved Love River, and follow
the river to experience bustling Shinkuchan Commercial District and taste
the traditional snacks so dear to everyday folk. Or take a trip to Pier-2
Art Center to experience local culture as well as enjoy some international
fare. Along the seashore, Xizi Bay’s night scenes will give you a memorably
romantic impression of the city, and dispel the fatigue of a busy day.

Restaurants
1 San Antonio
( 安多尼歐水岸歐式美食藝術 )
This European-style restaurant on the banks of the
Love River has a décor that is reserved yet refined.
The head chef uses skill and ingenuity to transform
ingredients sourced from around the world into
creative French-style dishes as delicate as works of
art. The quiet restaurant has an elegant atmosphere
that is at the same time comfortable and relaxing,
making it the perfect venue for a date or get-together
with friends.
Add: 7-1 Hexi Rd., Yancheng Dist., Kaohsiung City
( 高雄市鹽埕區河西路 7-1 號 )
Tel: (07) 533-5330
Hours: Lunch 11:45~14:30, dinner 17:45~22:00

2 ARTCO-C6 ( 典藏駁二餐廳 )

40

Sizihwan

Simple Eateries
1

Gang Yuan Beef Noodles
( 港園牛肉麵 )

This eatery serves up beef noodles that locals just
love. Broth made with a special recipe, big pieces of
beef, and pleasantly chewy noodles are the secrets
behind their continued popularity over six decades.
If you are near the Love River – “When in Rome ....”
– be sure to try the dry beef noodles and clear-broth
beef noodles, both favorites with local gourmands.
Add: 55 Dacheng St., Yancheng Dist., Kaohsiung
City ( 高雄市鹽埕區大成街 55 號 )
Tel: (07) 561-3842
Hours: 10:30~20:00

2 Kaohsiung Grandma’s Ice
( 高雄婆婆冰 )

This restaurant is in building C6 in the Dayi
Warehouse cluster of the Pier-2 Art Center. The
high roof, wide space, and original feel of the former
warehouse have been retained, while the retro
design and artworks on display make the restaurant
a new model for renovated warehouses with an art
focus. The skillfully prepared Italian cuisine served
up is sure to satisfy. The restaurant is particularly
suited to people who love both art and food.

The best thing to do on a hot summer night in
Kaohsiung is have a bowl of shaved ice to cool
down. Grandma’s Ice has been in business for more
than 80 years. Here, customers can enjoy mixedfruit, mango, strawberry, and many other treats
made with local produce. Digging into the fresh,
sweet fruit and cold ice instantly makes the vexing
heat disappear.

Romantic Evening
Spots
1 Banana Pier & Fisherman's Wharf
( 香蕉碼頭 & 漁人碼頭 )
The Banana Pier warehouse, originally called
the Banana Shed, has stood beside Kaohsiung
Harbor for almost half a century. Here, visitors can
feel the changes that the city has undergone over
the years, and taste a variety of delicious snacks.
Located next to Banana Pier, Fisherman's Wharf is
the biggest pier in Kaohsiung. At night, enjoy a cold
beer here and admire the special lighting effects
and harbor night views.
Add: 23 Penglai Rd., Gushan Dist., Kaohsiung City
( 高雄市鼓山區蓬萊路 23 號 )

2 Xizi Bay ( 西子灣 )
Xizi Bay is a place renowned for beautiful sunsets
and natural reefs. Just 20 minutes by car from the
city center, this pleasingly scenic spot sits on the sea
and is backed by mountains. The sunsets are among
the “eight famous sights” of Kaohsiung – as the sun
descends, couples gather to enjoy the sundown glow,
which paints a scene of great poetic beauty.
Add: Lianhai Rd., Gushan Dist., Kaohsiung City
( 高雄市鼓山區蓮海路 )

A rival to Osaka’s Shinsaibashi shopping district,
Shinkuchan Commercial District offers the latest fashions,
leisure fun, and good food all in one, attracting many
young travelers. Here, you can not only buy the hottest
clothing brands and the newest and most stylish in other
products, products, but also take in a movie and enjoy
tasty food treats.

Zhon

1 Shinkuchan Commercial District
( 高雄新崛江商圈 )

rd

3

Zhongsha n 1 st

Shopping and
Entertainment

Rd.

City
Council

1

R d.

2 Pier-2 Art Center ( 駁二藝術特區 )
The Pier-2 Art Center is centered on a cluster of
warehouses that in the past was, and today once again
is, indispensable to the people of Kaohsiung. The
warehouses, originally used to store such produce as fish
powder and sugar, are now hubs of design and culturalcreative energy that nourish the soul of freethinkers.
Among its many attractions are experience performances
bursting with the urban creativity and life aesthetic of this
port city.

A Bit of
Hawaii in the
West Pacific
Places to Go in and
around Taitung City

With a population of just 107,000, Taitung
City doesn’t come close to being a major urban
center. What it is: an excellent base from which
to explore the east coast and the East Rift Valley.
Text: Steven Crook Photos: Rich Matheson

Kimbo

Taiwan’s government recognizes 16 indigenous ethnic groups, but Taitung’s
(city and county) native people are mostly Puyuma, Paiwan, and Amis.
Thanks to his musical achievements, one local Puyuma singer has won great
fame. Kimbo, also known by his Chinese name, Hu De-fu, was born in
1950 to a Puyuma father and Paiwan mother and is now an elder statesman
in Taiwan’s music industry. An accomplished songwriter and pianist, he’s
been credited with bringing Taiwan native music to a wider audience, and
has performed everything from traditional indigenous songs and Mandarin
ballads to a cover of Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah.
Kimbo launched his musical career in 1970, and within a few years he
had moved on from performing in restaurants and coffee-shops to frequent
TV appearances. During the 1980s and 1990s, however, music often took a
backseat to activism on behalf of his fellow indigenes.
42

Travel in Taiwan

MY FAVORITE SPOTS
TAITUNG

K

ey to Taitung City’s appeal – and one reason why this part
of Taiwan is sometimes compared to multiracial Hawaii
– is its unique blend of people. In addition to substantial
numbers of Minnanren (Taiwanese whose ancestors moved to
the island from mainland China’s Fujian province two or three
centuries ago), Waishengren (individuals who arrived from
mainland China since World War II, and their progeny), and
Hakka (many of whose forefathers came from mainland China’s
Guangdong province), one in five city residents is a member of
an indigenous Austronesian tribe.

Beinan, Not Beinan
If you’ve arrived in Taitung City by train, a logical place to start
your tour is Beinan Cultural Park. Visitors who’ve studied a map
before arriving may feel a little confused by the name. Beinan
is the name of a nearby township, but the park is entirely within
Taitung City. In fact, the park’s name refers not to the current local
government division, but to the Beinan people who inhabited this
part of Taiwan from about 5,300 years until perhaps 2,300 ago.
Scholars have yet to determine what relationship, if any, exists
between the Beinan of yore and Taitung’s current aboriginal
inhabitants (including the Puyuma, which are known in Mandarin
as the Beinan as well).
Archaeologists working on this site have unearthed 1,523 slate
coffins, plus skeletons and priceless funerary items such as knives
and arrowheads made of jade. A few were removed and studied
during the Japanese colonial era (1895-1945), but it wasn’t until
1980, when work began on Taitung’s new railway station, that a
concerted effort to retrieve and catalog everything got underway.
One of the original excavations has been preserved and is open
to the public (free admission; 8:30am-5pm daily). For a detailed
explanation of what’s known about the Beinan people, as well
as Taiwan’s other prehistoric peoples, a better place to go is the
National Museum of Prehistory. In addition to displaying some
of the items found at Beinan Cultural Park, the museum features

re-creations of prehistoric life. Fiberglass figures fish, cook, make
pots, skin a deer they’ve just caught, and prepare a stone coffin for
an interment.
The displays go far beyond humanity. There’s a great deal
of information about Taiwan’s geology, rare species such as the
Formosan landlocked salmon, and creatures which once roamed
the island. Incredibly, these included elephants, elk, horses,
hyenas, rhinos, and tigers.

Lunch Options
Like every other Taiwanese city, Taitung’s downtown is crammed
with eateries. Given the gallery-quality works of art on the walls,
and the top-notch furnishings, Silaidong must be considered one
of the classiest – and that’s before the food appears on your table.
Silaidong has been described as having brought “five-star
hotel-quality beef noodles” to Taitung, but that’s not its only
special qualification. Its founders include Kimbo and his wife,
who worked with the Sheraton Grande Taipei Hotel to ensure the
food here meets the highest standards. And here’s an example of
Kimbo’s efforts to improve the lot of his indigenous fellows: every
employee is native.
Silaidong’s Signature Beef Noodles (NT$300) is a generous
bowl of ramen and succulent meat served in stock that takes 12
hours to prepare. The set includes side dishes of pickled cucumber
and coddled egg. Other recommended items on the menu include the
Home-Cooked Chicken Rice set (NT$180), and the Pork Steamed
Bun (NT$80). The last is a version of the guabao or “Taiwanese
hamburgers” now catching on in New York and other Western cities.
Travel in Taiwan

43

MY FAVORITE SPOTS
TAITUNG

Creativity Takes Over from Functionality
The Taitung region has nurtured some of Taiwan’s most-loved
musicians, but only recently has it gained an appealing livemusic venue. Tiehua Music Village, in the heart of the city, is a
convenient place to enjoy a concert.
Formerly a dormitory for railway workers, this spacious
complex, along with the nearby Taitung Railway Art Village,
became available when the city’s railway station was relocated in
the 1990s. A visitor information center and the city’s long-distance
bus station are also located nearby.
This site is an excellent example of a trend that’s become
evident island-wide in recent years: when large state-owned
sugar mills or warehouses are shuttered, rather than demolish
the buildings and sell the land to developers, artist groups and
NGOs are invited to come up with ways to use the structures
for the public good.
Kimbo is just one of many Taitung-born musicians who’ve
performed at Tiehua Music Village. Tickets range in price from
NT$200 to NT$350, and there are shows every evening from
Wednesday to Sunday. Details of upcoming events can be found at
www.tiehua.com.tw (Chinese). During the daytime, this is a good
spot to wander, enjoy the sculptures and other pieces of public art,
and then relax with a cool drink.

Seaside and Forest
So alluring are the native communities, hot springs, and high
mountains inland of Taitung City that visitors can be excused
for forgetting they’re close to the Pacific Ocean. Fortunately, the
city has made enjoying the coast both fun and easy by building a
bikeway linking the Seashore Park, the Railway Art Village, and
other points of interest.
In addition to offering fine views of the ocean and southward
along the mountain-backed coast, the Seashore Park has
Paposogan – a viewing platform that’s an attraction in its own
right. A spacious rattan dome, it provides shade on hot afternoons
and makes for romantic photo opportunities once the sun has
gone down.
There are at least three bicycle-rental stores near the Seashore
Park, plus one at Taitung Forest Park. Quality bikes can be
hired for as little as NT$100 per day. The bike trail makes for
safe cycling, and for much of its 21km length there’s a good
amount of shade.

Getting To and Around Taitung
However you approach Taitung, you’ll enjoy some excellent scenery en
route. Flights from Taipei Songshan Airport take one hour, and there usually
are six services per day. East Taiwan now enjoys improved rail services,
with the fastest Taipei-Taitung expresses needing just three-and-a-half
hours. Trains to/from Kaohsiung usually take less than three hours. Longdistance buses from Kaohsiung and Hualien are an alternative if slower

44

Travel in Taiwan

option. Coming from the latter, it’s often necessary to change buses
halfway down the coast. Car rentals should be arranged in advance
so you’ll be met at the airport or train station. If you’re willing to spend
several hours behind the wheel, consider hiring a vehicle while in
West Taiwan, and driving all the way to Taitung. There’s an amazing
amount to see and do en route!

MY FAVORITE SPOTS
TAITUNG

The Indigenous Heartland
Taiwanese of Chinese descent dominate Taitung City, but travelers
don’t have to go far to find communities where Puyuma folk are
the majority, and where the tribe’s language and customs are part
of daily life.
One such village is Kasavakan. It’s very easy to find: drive
south from Taitung City on Provincial Highway 9, and just after the
389km marker turn right. About 20 public buses per day link this
intersection with downtown Taitung.
As soon as you enter Kasavakan, you’ll see the wood statues
that give the streets of this little village a special character. One
is the “The Princess and The Holy Deer,” depicting a Puyuma
legend which explains how the residents’ ancestors came to settle
in this place.
Another indigenous village, Katatipul, is located just west of
Zhiben Railway Station. There you can visit the Roman Catholic
Immaculate Conception Church. Founded in 1954 and designated
an official heritage building by Taitung County Government,
it is strikingly different from most churches in the West. It’s a
reinforced-concrete box with a flat roof instead of a steeple. Inside
and out, aboriginal motifs created using wood and slate enjoy equal
billing with traditional Catholic iconography. The former include
paintings inspired by Puyuma oral history on the compound wall,
and chairs inside which bear indigenous faces.
According to the priest, around 70 people attend Sunday
service, and both Mandarin and the Puyuma language are used
during sermons. Visitors should ask for permission before entering
the church. Donations for repairs are much appreciated.

Steven Crook ( stevencolincrook@gmail.com) is a long-term
resident of Taiwan and author of Taiwan: The Bradt Travel Guide.

Alishan House has the best location of any hotel in the Alishan
Forest Recreation Area, offering uninterrupted views of the best
scenery Alishan has to offer, including the sea of clouds, the
sunset glow, and sacred trees.
The hotel itself is a mix of old and new structures. The main
building (Historical House) has an old-time atmosphere and used
to be the guesthouse where past ROC presidents stayed. There is
also the new building (Modern House), completed in December
2012 after nine years of construction and costing NT$1.3 billion,
which has modern design and novel facilities. Alishan House is
definitely the best accommodation choice in the Alishan area.

Staying at Alishan House allows guests to conveniently
experience the five wonders Alishan is well-known for: sunrise,
sea of clouds, sunset glow, forest, and mountain railway! You
can also enjoy the natural forest air and appreciate clouds and
mist and the lush green mountains at an elevation of more than
2,000 meters. A stay at Alishan House is like enjoying a natural
spa, and is a great way of leaving behind the hustle and bustle of
the city and charging one’s batteries in the embrace of nature.

If you’ve ever booked a flight from A
to C with a long layover at B, you’ll
know how painful it can be to kill
the downtime that’s been forced
on you at the B airport. If, however,
B is Taiwan Taoyuan International,
you have an alternative. Hop on
a mini-bus for a free tour of two
interesting heritage communities
just a 20-minute drive away, Sanxia
and Yingge!

46

Travel in Taiwan

2

SPECIAL REPORT
FREE TOURS

S

A

nyone who has ever spent hours stuck in an airport between
flights will know how frustrating it can be. After all, there
are only so many times you can wander around Duty
Free. For airline passengers passing through Taiwan Taoyuan
International Airport with a layover of between 7 and 24 hours,
the Taiwan Tourism Bureau therefore now offers daily free English
tours. There are two 5-hour tours per day, one in the morning and
another in the afternoon. Travel in Taiwan recently tagged along
on the morning tour, which highlights the more artisanal side of
greater Taipei as opposed to the showier city tourist spots – Taipei
101 and Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall – visited in the afternoon.
The first stop on the tour is Sanxia, a bustling urban district
of New Taipei City (which surrounds Taipei City) about 20 km
southwest of central Taipei. The bus pulls up near a foot bridge
crossing a river and leading to Qingshui Zushi Temple, an ornate
Daoist temple dedicated to a deified Song Dynasty monk. Before
we enter the temple, our guide explains a little about temple
etiquette – where to enter and exit, and how to cross the threshold.
Inside, the temple is full of intricate artwork – support columns
are covered with delicate stone carvings of birds, dragons, and
flowers; wood and stone reliefs depicting scenes and figures
from Chinese myth line the walls. Taiwan's religious culture is
certainly too complex to come to understand in any deep sense on
a single tour, but among many insights offered our guide gives us
a tantalizing glimpse by explaining the process of using divination
blocks and fortune sticks to elicit advice from the temple deities.
After this, we have some free time to explore the temple's
environs. Branching off from the temple courtyard is Sanxia Old
Street – a 200-meter-long street lined with red-brick arcades and
wood-panelled storefronts, the buildings crowned with ornate
baroque facades. The architecture here dates back to Taiwan's
Japanese Occupation Period (1895~1945), and contrasts starkly
with the mainly concrete architectural landscape that we passed
through on the way to temple and street. Here you can find
quaint little teahouses, fabric stores, traditional pharmacies, and
calligraphy shops, but perhaps the most prominent item on display
is Sanxia's signature foodstuff – golden bull-horn bread. These
croissant-shaped pastries consist of a buttery solid outer shell that

3

conceals a fluffy white interior. They can be enjoyed as is or cut in
half crosswise and topped with ice cream.
The next stop on our journey is nearby Yingge, another district
of New Taipei City, known as the "Pottery Capital of Taiwan."
The community has been producing high-quality ceramics since
the early 19th century, and now functions as a base for Taiwan's
best ceramics artists (over 800 of them). Beginning at the Yingge
Ceramics Museum (www.ceramics.ntpc.gov.tw), we learn about
the checkered history of the area's flagship industry, and we enjoy
exhibits of ceramic art by local artists alongside displays of the
area's more practical output: toilet bowls, roof tiles, and teapots.
From the museum we head over to Yingge's Ceramics Old
Street – a cobblestoned set of lanes lined with over a hundred
stores selling everything from cheap, mass-produced saucers to
costly, handcrafted statues. It's a furiously hot summer's day, so
our guide ushers us into one of the shops, where we're treated to
a Taiwanese tea ceremony by the owner, who fills us in on the
ins-and-outs of tea brewing, drinking etiquette, and the proper
consumption of Taiwanese tea before looming departure times for
our tour-group fellows force us to make the 20-minute drive back
to the airport.

English and Chinese

How to Sign up
To register for one of the tours, sign up at the Tourist Service Center in the Arrival
Lobby at Terminal 1 or 2. Tours are operated on a first-come, first-served basis.
There are 18 places available per tour. The Sanxia-Yingge tour starts at 8am, with a
return to the airport by 1pm. To pass through Immigration, you'll need a valid R.O.C.
visa or be from a country eligible for visa-exempt entry. For more information, visit

Taiwan might not yet have the summer open-air musicfestival culture of Europe, nor do its major cities yet boast
the 24/7, all-genres-all-the-time live-music culture of aural
hubs such as New York, London, or Berlin. However, recent
years have witnessed a surge in the number of fests, which
are being put on all over the island.

B

eing in a band is tough for young Taiwanese if they
hope to keep playing music beyond their high-school
or college days. Opportunities to earn a living strictly
through music are sparse, and parental expectations that they
buckle down and get a "real job" loom large in a culture in
which filial piety plays such a major role. For men,
the mandatory military service can be a band killer
as well. Yet step into any rehearsal studio in the
country on a weekday night and you'll find it
packed with young bands, diligently practicing
in the hope of one day gracing one of Taiwan's
numerous festival stages.
One of Taiwan's longest-running festivals is the
annual Spring Scream (www.springscream.com),
held near the southern beach village of Kending

POPULAR PASTIMES
LIVE MUSIC

during a weekend in early April. Staged in the picturesque park
surrounding the Eluanbi Lighthouse, the fest features several
stages spread out over the spacious grounds, which flirt with
the rugged coastline of the Hengchun Peninsula. Spring Scream
draws bands from around Taiwan, a few from neighboring
countries, and the occasional North American, Australian,
or European act. From a gathering of friends at a local bar in
Kending, event organizers Jimi Moe and Wade Davis have seen
their festival-baby grow to a happening that routinely draws
several thousand revelers, many of which enjoy the communal
atmosphere of the festival's adjoining camping facilities.
Just a few days before Spring Scream, the eyes of Taiwan's
music lovers are cast on the southern port city of Kaohsiung
and the Megaport Festival (www.megaportfest.com ). Founded
by Freddy Lim, vocalist for Taiwan's biggest extreme metal
export, Chthonic, Megaport is primarily focused on the heavier
side of the music spectrum, drawing fans in their thousands to

Kaohsiung's Pier-2 Art Center (pier-2.khcc.gov.tw ), an area of
former warehouses that have been converted into art spaces and
performance venues, in late March.
In the north, the biggest fest going is the Ho-Hai-Yan Gongliao
Rock Festival, a government-sponsored event that takes place in
July at Fulong Beach on the northeast coast. The fest doubles as a
competition for local bands, which compete for large cash prizes.
With the fest being free, organizers boast overall attendance
figures for the weekend in the hundreds of thousands, though no
concrete numbers are available. Everyone from up-and-coming
local bands to Taiwanese stars and international acts have graced
Ho-Hai-Yan's seaside stage over the years.
For something with more of a loose and alternative vibe,
check out Beastie Rock. Held in New Taipei City's Tamsui
Cultural Park, in and around a collection of former warehouses
beside the Tamsui River, the multi-stage festival is not only

Spring Scream

Travel in Taiwan

49

POPULAR PASTIMES
LIVE MUSIC

about the music, but also about expanding the counterculture
movement in Taiwan, with bands, fans, NGOs, and protest
organizations actively encouraged to disseminate their points of
view in numerous ways. The organizers have booked bands of
many different styles for the fest in its five years of existence,
from electro-pop to extreme metal, but tend to favor those that
have a political or social bent to their music.
Taichung and Chiayi are not to be left out, with a couple
of festivals bursting onto the scene in recent years. Fans of
the hard and heavy should head to Taichung in August for
Hearttown (www.facebook.com/hearttownfestivaltw ), a
festival that draws top punk and metal bands from around
Taiwan, Asia, and the world.

In Chiayi, Wake Up (www.facebook.com/wakeupfest ) is
another relatively new festival, featuring more of a local flavor
and attracting bands of varying genres. In this year’s edition,
headliners included what is arguably Taiwan's biggest rock 'n'
roll act, Wu Bai and China Blue.
From early spring through to the fall, north to south, Taiwan's
varied music festivals run the genre and thematic gamut. Time
your visit to coincide with any one of these fests, and witness
one of Asia's newly emerging culture scenes.

The small mountain town of Jiufen is
one of the top tourist draws in northern
Taiwan, attracting visitors who come
to walk through its alleys, sample snack
foods, and snap pictures of the coast
off in the distance. Many leave without
knowing that there is much more in store
close by: several easy-to-follow trails
that lead to lofty peaks, including Mt.
Jilong and Teapot Mountain, bringing
you through an amazing landscape of
verdant mountains and blue sea.

Tea Pot Mountain
Travel in Taiwan

51

EASY HIKING
JIUFEN/JINGUASHI

O

n a map, the five main peaks in
the area around Jiufen and the
neighboring town of Jinguashi don’t
look extraordinary. Yet despite the fact
that the highest is significantly lower than
many hiker-visited peaks in Yangmingshan
National Park, on nearby Taipei’s north
side, the dramatic airiness, the feeling of
vast, wide-open spaces, and the vertical
drops and angular rocky towers make the
mountains here appear high and imposing.
This exuberant flourish of pointy summits
(which, like those in Yangmingshan, are
of volcanic origin) looms over Jiufen and
Jinguashi, twin historic mining settlements
overlooking the northeast coast, and
walking along the rocky ridges on a fine,
sunny day, with a vast swath of blue ocean
laid out far below, is one of the most
exhilarating outings in the Taipei area.
Summer and fall are the best times
to explore this stunning corner of the
island, when the weather is at its best.
52

Travel in Taiwan

Note, however, that the sun is blisteringly
hot from June to September, so be sure to
bring sun protection and lots of water. In
October and November, when the weather
has cooled off somewhat, sunny days
are still common, and the steep hillsides
are covered with an ocean of beautiful
silvergrass blooms.
The easiest of the surrounding peaks
to summit is towering Mt. Jilong (587
meters), which is located immediately
northeast of Jiufen. To get to the trailhead
from Jiufen’s Old Street area, just follow
the main road through the town (County
Highway 102) further uphill a few hundred
meters until you see stone steps on the
left side of the road. There are two paths
to the summit. The more direct route is
a 40-minute slog up steps all the way; a
newer trail branching off to the left a few
minutes’ walk from the trailhead meanders
more gently around the f lank of the

mountain, giving views over a wide sweep
of ocean far below and beyond. It joins
the main path below the summit, which
commands magnificent 360-degree views.
The best base for exploring the hills
around Jinguashi is the Gold Ecological
Park (www.gep.ntpc.gov.tw), in the center
of the town, which has narrow alleys
of quaint old houses also well worth
exploring. Getting to the rocky pinnacle
of Teapot Mountain (599 meters), east
of Jinguashi, is a slightly more strenuous
proposition than climbing Mt. Jilong, but
even if you don’t make it up to the summit
rocks (not suitable for less-experienced
hikers, as the peak is bounded by sheer
cliffs, and the climb is rough and very
steep in places), walking even just part
of the way gives you fantastic views over
Jinguashi and the coastline. The mountain
is one of the most eye-catching landmarks
in the area, and it really does look like
a teapot from some angles (the Chinese

EASY HIKING
JIUFEN/JINGUASHI

2

1

name is actually “no-ear teapot mountain,”
for the “teapot” has no handle or “ear”).
After entering Gold Ecological Park,
pass the popular Benshan No. 5 Tunnel
(where visitors can explore the first stretch
of an old gold-mine tunnel), and turn right
at a set of steps immediately after crossing
a stream. Turn left at the top of the steps
onto a minor road, which climbs to the
trailhead of the path to the top of Teapot
Mountain. The trail is a steep 20-minute
climb that ends at the base of the summit
rock, where you can rest and enjoy the
breathtaking views from a pavilion.

trail which climbs between Japanesestyle stone lanterns and through a pair
of torii (ceremonial gates) to the remains
of Jinguashi Shinto Shrine. The temple,
built by the Japan Mining Company in
1933 to commemorate its taking over of
the Jinguashi mines, was dedicated to
the three kami spirits of metallurgy, and
originally included a main hall, a prayer
hall, and a pavilion for performing rituals.
Largely destroyed following Taiwan’s
retrocession to Chinese rule in 1945, all
that remain are lines of tall stone pillars
and stone foundations, which curiously
give it the vague appearance of a Greek
or Roman ruin. A photo of the shrine as
it looked during the Japan-rule era can
be found in the park’s Environmental
Building.
Past the shrine ruins, the stepped
trail continues uphill for some distance.
Turn right onto a level track contouring
the grassy mountainside, and on the left
is one of the area’s open-cast mines, now
open to the public, with several interesting
info boards explaining mining processes.

Follow the steps on uphill, and at the top
is a narrow road which gives access to the
area’s highest peaks: Mt. Banping, Mt.
Canguangliao, and Mt. Cao. A clearly
signposted trail follows the ridge to the
top of craggy Mt. Banping; the way is
quite easy, but the ground is rocky and
strong walking shoes are needed. Another,
easier, option is to proceed along the
road, and then turn left at the large sign
announcing Diaoshan Historic Trail, a
wide, surfaced trail that drops into the
beautiful valley below Mt. Canguangliao
(738 meters), the highest peak in the area.
If hiking this route, rather than climbing
all the way back up the same way, it’s
easier to follow the road at the end of the
trail for 2 kilometers to Mudan Railway
Station, a small stop on the main railway
line between Taipei and the city of Yilan.
During the Second World War, Jinguashi
was the site of the notorious Kinkaseki
POW camp, where allied troops captured
by t he Japa ne se du r i ng t he fa l l of
Singapore and other Southeast Asian
1. The northeast coast seen from Mt. Jilong
2. Ruins of Jinguashi Shinto Shrine

regions were put to work in the copperrich mines in the area. Over 1,100 POWs
were interned here, many of whom died
under appalling conditions before the
camp was closed in June 1945 and the
prisoners moved to another POW camp for
the remaining months of the war. All that
remains of the camp, which was located
just north of today’s Gold Ecological Park,
is a bridge, a small fragment of wall, and
a gatepost (marked by a plaque inscribed
in English and Chinese). The remainder
of the original site is now home to a small
park with a memorial wall inscribed with
the names of the POWs and a monument
where a memorial service is conducted
in their honor each year, on the second
Sunday in November.
It’s just a short walk downhill from the
Kinkaseki site, along the winding road
or newly-cut trail, to what is perhaps
Jinguashi’s most unusual landmark, the
Golden Waterfall. The stream here is
laden with minerals exposed during mining
operations on the hillside above. Over
the years they have been deposited on the
bedrock of the many-spouted cascade that
plunges down the grassy hillside, turning
it bright orange. It’s a great spot for photos,
but don’t try paddling in the stream, as the
high levels of heavy metals and other toxic
chemicals naturally present in the earth of
the hills above are dissolved in the water.
English and Chinese
Benshan No. 5 Tunnel 本山五坑
Bitou Cape 鼻頭角
Diaoshan Historic Trail 貂山古道
Fulong 福隆
Gold Ecological Park 黃金博物園區
Golden Waterfall 黃金瀑布
Jinguashi 金瓜石
Jinguashi Shinto Shrine 黃金神社
Jiufen 九份
Mt. Banping 半平山
Mt. Canguangliao 燦光寮山
Mt. Cao 草山
Mt. Jilong 雞籠山
Mudan Railway Station 牡丹車站
Nanya 南雅
Ruifang 瑞芳
Shuinandong 水湳洞
Teapot Mountain 無耳茶壺山
Yangmingshan National Park 陽明山國家公園

Getting There
Jiufen and Jinguashi can be reached directly from Taipei in just over an hour by taking bus no. 1062 from MRT
Zhongxiao Fuxing Station (departures every 20-30 minutes 6am to 9pm). Alternatively, take a train from Taipei
to the town of Ruifang, and then a bus (departures every few minutes) from the bus stop on the main road you
see when leaving the station to Jiufen/Jinguashi. To get to the Golden Waterfall by bus, and then perhaps down
to the coast at Shuinandong (location of two-colored sea waters) and then east along the coast to such places
of interest as Nanya (strange rock formations), Bitou Cape (hiking trail on cape), and Fulong (golden-sand
beach), take the Taiwan Tourist Shuttle (www.taiwantrip.com.tw ) bus on the Gold Fulong Route (day tickets
NT$50; buses leave from Ruifang every half hour on weekends/holidays, and once an hour on weekdays).

OHYA‧ALL YOUR CHAIN BOUTIQUE MOTEL

Hotels of Taiwan

歐 悅。歐 遊 國 際 連 鎖 精 品 旅 館

HOTEL ÉCLAT
怡亨酒店

Taipei 台 北

Visitors to Taiwan have a wide range of choice when
it comes to accommodation. From five-star luxury
hotels that meet the highest international standards,
to affordable business hotels, to hot-spring and beach
resort hotels, to privately-run homestays located in the
countryside there is a place to stay that satisfies every

traveler’s needs. What all hotels of Taiwan — small and
big, expensive and affordable — have in common is that
serve and hospitality are always of the highest standards.
The room rates in the following list have been checked
for each hotel, but are subject to change without notice.

Hotels of the World; strategically located in the
most fashionable and prestigious district of Taipei;
offers guests great convenience for business and
entertainment; Wi-Fi connectivity and in-room
business facilities; variety of meeting rooms providing the ideal venue for professional meetings,
corporate functions, and social gatherings.

English, Japanese, Taiwanese, Chinese, Cantonese

RestauRaNts: Éclat Lounge, George Bar
sPecial featuRes: Member of Small Luxury

sPecial featuRes: Business center, fitness
center, meeting rooms, Club House with luxury
furniture and advanced media facilities for
private meetings and gatherings, wood-floored
open-air Sky Garden, parking tower, close to
the MRT system near Zhongshan Elemen tary
school MRT station and key commercial and
entertainment districts.

The motel’s design is a departure
from the ostentatious and
extravagant decoration of many
motels; instead, city elements from
around the world are merged into
each guest room, quietly waiting for
the next guest to arrive.

The style of the guest rooms is
inspired by the lofts of New York.
Weathered, rusting window
frames, and mottled walls vividly
and unrestrainedly display history
in an old warehouse in the heart
of the city’s Soho District.

THE BEST CHOICE TO SEE
A VARIETY OF

OHYA Chain Boutique Motel is Taiwan’s largest chain of boutique
hotels. It is listed by the Taiwan Tourism Bureau as a three-star hotel
operation (the highest ranking) and has become a leader among
boutique hotels in Taiwan. All 17 branches of the chain in Taiwan
provide accommodation with luxury, comfort, health, and privacy,
including 900sqm President suites and business-level suites.

Yilan

Linkou

Xinzhuang

Zhongli

Taoyuan

Changhua

Hsinchu

Taichung

Xinying

Yongkang

Zhushan

Kaohsiung

Chiayi

Taitung

Pingtung

ISSN:18177964

REGISTER ON OUR NEW SHOPPING SITE AND RECEIVE A NT$50 DISCOUNT.
JOIN “OBOW SHOP” FOR A TASTEFUL AND FUN SHOPPING EXPERIENCE!